The Hacker's Society Book 1: The Pale Echoes

“ARE you definitely sure about the news?” When Jevis heard the question from Kristoff, his hands clenched at his side. Sensing fury and anger that burnt inside him. “Damn it, Jevis! Answer me!” Kristoff demanded. Hinampas nito nang ilang beses ang table habang tiim-bagang naka tingin sa binata. Bakas na bakas sa mukha nito ang labis na galit sa nabalitaan. Nag-aapoy din ang mga mata nito sa galit sa kanya. Like him, he understands his fury and anger. Kasalukuyan silang nasa headquarters ng THS- The Hackers Society. Which is only six people know the location. Jevis founded and created the THS five years ago. Isa lang naman ang naging layunin niya kaya niya naisipan buuin ang THS. They’re not black hat nor white ethical hackers. Hindi rin niya masasabi na gray hat ang THS. Jevis founded the THS for three simple reasons. First, he wants to suffer all the bad people in the country who abuses their power and people. Second, he built the group because he wants to protect the people who is in need and suffered to the direct abuse of power. Third, he wants power and control. People who have this kind of power can control all the situation in one click. Who doesn’t want that kind of power? Hindi sila pumapatay ng mga inosenteng tao kapag may mga mahahalagang mission sila na ginagawa. Like what they did in one of the senators in the Philippines. Hindi nila ginamitan ng dahas ang mission nilang iyon dahil ginamit nila ang alam nila sa technology para mapabagsak at tuluyang makulong ang kilalang senador na 'yon. That senator was dirty as evil. Marami itong ninakaw na pera ng bansa, illegal trades and human trafficking using his power as one of the influential political dynasties in the country. Napabagsak nila ito nang walang dumadanak na dugo. The last time that they killed someone is when Francine needed to do it instantly. When they need to closed kill one of the renowned director in the movie industries. He was a freaking rapist. Lagi nitong ginagamit ang pagiging director nila para makapang-rape at abusuhin ang mga dalaga na gustong maging isang sikat na artista at commercial model. That's why Francine killed him instantly. She just do it in not in ordinary way. Francine is not use to technology. Hindi ito hacker pero sobrang galing nito pagdating sa hand to hand combat. She was doing all the field work aside from Myshel and Kristoff. Jevis wants that kind of power that’s why he searches for the right people to became his colleagues. Hindi lang siya basta naghanap nang magaling na tao. He Investigated them thoroughly and he knows their dark secrets and background. Pinili ni Jevis na maging member ng THS ang mga tao na tulad niya din nang layunin sa buhay. O mas tamang sabihin na lahat sila ay nakaranas ng abuse sa buhay nila. He has five people in THS. THS HQ has six U-shape consoles owned by its six members. Jevis, Vaughn, Steven, Kristoff, Francine and Myshel. U-shape consoles were black, studded with control keyboards and different sleek black screens. That type of consoles is one of the sophiscated machine created by Tech Savant, Jevis' company and you can’t see them or buy in public market. THS only owned this kind of console. Always top of the line. No one can penetrate its firewall and almost invisible and untraceable to the outside world. Only six people knows the THS HQ. Kristoff, Vaugh, Steven, Myshel and Francine. And they have their own code names too. Jevis as HD Moore. Vaughn as Blankenship. Steven as Anonymous Kristoff as Kaminsky Myshel as BugHunter Francine Mikaela as Artemis Francine.. Thinking of Francine make his heart trembled. Jevis can feel the vibrating pain in his heart. As if he can’t breathe for the loss of his love. Yes, his love. Francine Mikaela was her lover. The moment he laid his eye to Francine he can feel more than just attraction to the lady. Hindi niya naramdaman sa iba ang sensation na pinaparamdam sa kanya nito. And Jevis knows that he was in love with her the very moment that he laid his eyes on Francine. “Yes, it’s true.” Ani ni Jevis na halos hindi niya mabigkas ang mga katagang iyon. “F-Francine is gone.” Ani niya. Jevis can feel his lips shaking and almost whispering at the moment. “She’s dead.” “F*ck you, Jevis!” mura sa kanya ni Kristoff. Nilapitan siya nito at galit na kinuwelyuhan. Nanlilisik na mata na tinignan siya nito. “This is all your fault! Pinabayaan mo si Francine na mag isa sa mission na yan na alam mo naman delikado! She should have back up!” “That’s enough, Kristoff!” pigil ni Myshel kay Kristoff ngunit hindi pa din nagpaawat ang binata. Imbes na bitawan ang kwelyo niya ay mas dumiin pa ang pagkakahawak nito na sinamahan pa ng pagyugyog. “Francine is gone because of your selfishness! Your f*cking pride! And your f*cking rule!” Halos dumagundong sa buong HQ ang malakas na boses ni Kristoff. Wala nang pakialam ang binata kung nasasaktan na niya ang leader ng THS. “I said that’s enough!” muling awat ni Myshel sa dalawa at pilit na kinalas ang mariing pagkakahawak ni Kristoff sa kwelyo ni Jevis. “Walang may kasalanan sa nangyari!” Nang magtagumpay ito ay agad na pumagitna sa pagitan ng dalawang lalaki. Alam kasi ni Myshel na hindi titigil si Kristoff sa pagsugod kay Jevis. Buong lakas na kinaladkad ni Myshel ang lalaki at pilit na pinaupo sa swivel chair nito. Dahil malaking tao din si Kristoff ay halos hingal ang inabot ni Myshel para lang mapigilan ito. Buong lakas na hinila niya si Kristoff palayo. “Sit down, Kristoff! Let Jervis explain what really happened to Francine!” Masamang tinignan siya ni Kristoff. “Kahit anong ipaliwanag niya, hindi magbabago ang sitwasyon ngayon. Wala na si Francine! Hindi na kayang ibalik ng kahit na anong paliwanag niya ang buhay ni Francine!” buong-buong bigkas nito sa mga katagang iyon. Halata sa boses nito ang galit at lungkot dahil sa nangyari. “She died because of this bastard!” Iniiwas ni Myshel ang tingin dito. Dahil alam nito na nagsasabi ng totoo ang binata. Walang kahit na anong paliwanag ang pwede mag balik sa buhay ng isa sa member ng The Hackers Society. Isang mahabang katahimikan ang namayani sa buong HQ. “Are you certain that the recovered body is Francine’s?” Binasag ni Steven ang nakakailang na katahimikan na namayani sa grupo. Steven, who is joker and happy person in THS. Na ngayon ay seryoso ng mga oras na iyon. Hinawakan ni Jevis ang noo bago tumango. “Yes, ako mismo ang nag-asikaso para ipa-DNA ang na-recover na katawan sa crash site and it’s 99.9% that the body is Francine.” Habang sinasabi ni Jevis ang mga katagang iyon ay ramdam ulit niya ang panginginig ng labi at kalamnan. “You’re f*cking bullshit, Jevis!” sigaw na naman ni Kristoff sa kanya. Sa pagkakataon na iyon ay tumayo ang binata at muli siyang dinuro. “You should not forget why she died! You killed her. You killed Francine! And I will never forgive you because of that.” Ani nito na punong-puno ng panibugho sa kanya ng mga oras na iyon. “I hope you rotten in hell.” Pagkasabi nyon ay hinubad ni Kristoff ang signet ring ng THS at madiing inihampas sa table. Noong sumapi kasi sila sa grupo na iyon ay may kanya-kanya silang symbolo na pinili, kay Kristoff ay signet na may disenyong serpent na nakalingkis sa isang hat. “I hope I will never see you again in this lifetime.” “Don’t do this Kristof!” Pigil ni Myshel sa binate ngunit na tinignan lang siya ng binata at dumiretso papalabas ng Headquarters. Bago umalis si Kristoff ay ubod na lakas nitong sinutok ang logo ng THS. The logo was made it crystal glass. Kaya naman naghalo ang dugo at basag na salamin sa lapag. Nanghihina na napaupo lang si Myshel sa upuan nito. Hindi nito akalain na sa pangyayari na iyon ay dalawang member ng THS ang mawawala. Marahang hinawakan ni Vaughn ang kamay ng dalaga. “Let him be. I know Kristoff will come back to us. He just needed time to mourn and accept what happened to Mikaela.” Sa nangyari ay halos limang minute walang kumikibo kina Steven, Vaughn, Myshel and Jevis. “On screen.” Ani ni Steven sabay inilabas ang portrait ni Francine sa main screen ng HQ. Lumitaw ang Magandang mukha ng dalaga. Her long curly hair that suited her perfect deep brown eyes and nose. Kitang-kita ang Magandang ngiti ng dalaga sa larawan na iyon. “Francine Mikaela Cross is now signing off.” Ani ni Vaughn. Nilapitan nito ang U-shape console ng dalaga. Type some codes in the console and after a while it was humming like a silent bird. A dying humming bird. And it went blank. Jevis can feel the tears running down his cheeks. He looked at Francine picture. Her girl. Her smile. Her beautiful face. His love. And the smile that he will never see again in this lifetime.